The Giant Lily Pad Cafe of Phuket
Ma Doo Bua (มา ดู บัว) is a cafe and restaurant in Bang Tao Beach, built around a pond covered with giant Victoria Amazonica water lilies, the largest species of water lily in the world. The name means “come see lotus” in Thai. The circular floating leaves can grow over 3 metres wide and support up to 50 kg, which is why you can actually stand on them for a photo. Add traditional Thai wooden houses with red pointed roofs, a long wooden pier over the water, and a long-tail boat as a photo prop, and you get what has become the most photographed cafe in Phuket, with 46,000+ Facebook followers and a constant stream of visitors from TikTok and Instagram.
Ma Doo Bua is located in Thalang district on the inland side of Bang Tao Beach. The drive from Patong takes about 30 minutes, from Phuket Town about 25 minutes, and from the airport just 20 minutes, making it one of the easiest stops for travellers arriving or leaving the island.
Ma Doo Bua at a Glance
| Ma Doo Bua Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cherngtalay, Thalang district |
| Thai name | มา ดู บัว (Ma Doo Bua, “come see lotus”) |
| Famous for | Giant Victoria Amazonica lily pads |
| Drone photo | From 500 Baht (1 person) |
| Standing on lily pad | 350 Baht (under 60 kg) |
| Cuisine | Thai, local Phuket specialities, desserts |
| Open | 11 am to 10 pm daily |
| From airport | 20 minutes by car |
| From Patong | 30 minutes by car |
| Parking | Free on-site |
| Entry fee | Free (photo sessions extra) |
What Makes Ma Doo Bua Different
The cafe sits beside an artificial lake filled with Victoria Amazonica, the largest water lily in the world. The leaves can reach up to 3 metres wide, and they are strong enough to hold 40 to 50 kg of weight. That is why the staff can position a guest under 60 kg on a leaf for a photo without it sinking.
Around the water, red-roofed Thai houses create a striking contrast against the green leaves and blue sky. A wooden pier extends over the pond, and this is where most people take their free photos. A long-tail boat is moored on the pond as a prop for drone shots taken from above.
The photos you see on social media are real, but they are carefully framed. Behind the photographer, there is usually a crowd of people eating, waiting, and scrolling their phones. The trick is timing.
Drone Photos and Standing on a Lily Pad
Ma Doo Bua offers two photo experiences you cannot do on your own. Both require booking at the ticket counter when you arrive.
Drone photos, taken from above while you lie in the long-tail boat surrounded by giant lily pads:
- 1 person: 500 Baht
- 2 people: 800 Baht
- 3 people: 1,000 Baht
- 4 people: 1,200 Baht
Standing on a lily pad: 350 Baht. You must weigh under 60 kg. The session is quick, about 5 to 10 minutes, because there is usually a queue. The staff position you on the leaf, hand you a prop (a parasol or fan), and take the shots. They know exactly where to stand and what angle works best.
Combined photo and video package: 1,100 Baht for one person. Includes the drone photo and a short video clip.
The drone and lily pad slots are first-come, first-served. On busy mornings, people queue from 8 am even though the first photo slot is at 9:30 am. If you want a specific time, arrive early and book your slot before ordering food.
The Restaurant and Seating Areas
The restaurant has three seating areas, each with a different feel.
Indoor air-conditioned room: the quietest option, good for hot afternoons or rainy days.
Covered outdoor terrace: tables and chairs with a ceiling fan, overlooking the pond.
Open-air cushion area: low tables with cushions on the floor, right at the edge of the water. This is the nicest spot and the first to fill up. Good for groups of 4 or more.
What to Eat at Ma Doo Bua
The food is Thai, with a focus on local Phuket dishes. Most people come for the photos first and the food second, but the kitchen is better than you would expect from a place that is essentially a photo destination.
The menu covers Thai classics like Pad Thai, Tom Yum Koong, and Tom Ka Khai, but the more interesting options are the local Phuket specialities:
- Moo Hong, slow-braised pork belly in a dark soy and pepper sauce. A Phuket classic.
- Goong Pad Nam Ma Kham, prawns in a sweet and sour tamarind sauce.
- Moo Pad Kapi Sa Tor, stir-fried stink beans with shrimp paste. For brave eaters only.
- Rad Na, flat noodles in thick gravy with pork or chicken.
- Gai Phad Med Ma Muang, stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts.
- Fried rice in a pineapple, a tourist favourite that photographs well.
The cafe also serves dishes made with lotus parts, including lotus stem and lotus seeds, which fit the theme perfectly. Drinks include fresh juices, Thai iced tea, coffee, and cocktails. Mango smoothies and butterfly pea lemonade are popular because they colour-match the Instagram aesthetic.
Best Time to Visit
Ma Doo Bua is busy. The question is not whether there will be queues, but how long they will be.
Best time: Weekday mornings between 9 am and 11 am. The light is good, the air is cooler, and the queues are short.
Worst time: Sunday afternoons. Expect to wait 30 to 60 minutes for a table and the same for the pier. Drone slots may be fully booked by noon.
For the lily pad photo: arrive at opening or shortly after. The first slot is at 9:30 am and they are often gone within the first hour in high season.
For the blooms: Victoria Amazonica flowers open at night. On the first night they are white, on the second they turn pink or magenta, then they die. You will see leaves year-round, but catching a flower is luck.
What to Wear for Photos
The cafe’s own social media recommends white or bright colours. Red also photographs well because it contrasts with the green leaves. Avoid green and brown, which blend in.
Other practical tips:
- Bring sunglasses. The drone photo requires you to look up, and the midday sun is bright.
- Bring a hat or parasol. They have props at the cafe, but having your own gives more variety.
- Avoid long loose sleeves if standing on the lily pad. They drag in the water.
- Charge your phone. You will take more photos than you expect.
How to Get to Ma Doo Bua
Ma Doo Bua is at 310/51 Moo 1, Baandon-Cherngtalay Road, Thalang district, on the inland side of Bang Tao. It is not walking distance from any beach, so you need transport.
By car or taxi: the easiest option. Use Google Maps or Grab to find it directly. From the airport, about 20 minutes. From Patong, 30 minutes over the hill via Route 4029.
By scooter: about the same as a car, and parking is free and easy.
By Grab or Bolt: works reliably from most parts of Phuket. Expect 400 to 600 Baht from Patong or Phuket Town.
As part of a day trip: combine with a visit to Wat Kanan, Wat Phra Thong, Boat Avenue, or Porto de Phuket for lunch or shopping. All are within 10 minutes.
More Photos of Ma Doo Bua
Insider Tips
Book the drone or lily pad photo first, eat second. The photo slots run out. The restaurant does not. I learned this on my first visit when I sat down to eat and found out all the drone slots were gone by the time I finished.
Sit in the cushion area even if it means waiting. It is the one with the best pond view and the best photos from your table. The indoor and terrace seats do not come close.
If you are just there for the free photos on the pier, do not buy a full meal. A coffee and dessert at the counter is enough. You are paying for the view, not the food, and Ma Doo Bua is not cheap for what it is.
The lily pad photo has a 60 kg weight limit. If you are over, they will not put you on the leaf. Stick to the drone photo or the boat instead.
Ask the staff to show you the pond’s long-tail boat from the pier before you book the drone photo. The position and angle are always the same, so you can see exactly what your shot will look like before you pay.
Combine the visit with Boat Avenue or Porto de Phuket for lunch or an evening meal. Ma Doo Bua’s food is fine, but the Cherngtalay area has better restaurants a few minutes away.
Ma Doo Bua Through the Years
The name Ma Doo Bua (มา ดู บัว) is three Thai words: “ma” (มา, come), “doo” (ดู, see or look at), and “bua” (บัว, lotus). Together it means “come see lotus,” which is exactly what the place is about. It is one of the rare cases where a Phuket cafe’s name directly describes what you will do there.
The cafe is part of the Ma Doo Bua resort, a 4-star Thai-style property in Thalang district also known as The Legend of Thai Villas. The resort was built first, with the Victoria Amazonica pond designed as a centrepiece feature for guests. When photos of the giant lily pads started appearing on Instagram and TikTok around 2019 and 2020, the cafe took off as a destination in its own right. It claims to be the first and only place in Phuket to grow Victoria Amazonica, and I have not seen them anywhere else on the island.
I first visited soon after it opened, when the pond was smaller and the queue was non-existent. Today it is almost unrecognisable as a busy cafe with dedicated photo staff, drone operators, and slot-booking systems. The formula is simple, but it worked. Dozens of other cafes in Thailand have tried to copy it since, and none have really managed to match the original.
Ma Doo Bua Info
Thai name: มา ดู บัว (Ma Doo Bua)
Location: Cherngtalay, Thalang district
Address: 310/51 Moo 1, Baandon-Cherngtalay Road, Thalang, Phuket
Open: 11 am to 10 pm daily
Phone: 063 593 9939
Price: Affordable
Drone photos: From 500 Baht per person
Lily pad photo: 350 Baht (under 60 kg)
Ma Doo Bua Map
Get the directions on your phone: https://goo.gl/maps/kDnP9qFrHyZrRpZG7
